There are three main areas; the Cape itself, in Cape Town Table Bay and further north to Langebaan.

Cape Point

Platboom Bay

Platboom can be found on the Cape of Good Hope National Park. An idyllic break with white sand, aquamarine sea, surrounded by shrubland. Platboon picks up the swell first, and when flat everywhere else it will be working here.

Any hazards: A big, rocky, kelp point on the left. There are also plenty of rocks on the right. It is quite a small bay, and gets overcrowded very easily.

Other water users: Mainly windsurfers.

Suitability/levels: Intermediate to expert. It’s fairly friendly in a NW.

Wipeout factor: NW is no real problem, a huge swell with a SE if a different story!

Whitsand Bay

Park at the top of the cliff and walk down to rig up. It’s a sandy bay where the waves and the winds always look smaller than they actually are. A crayfish factory lies to the right pumping out fishy stuff for the sharkies.

Beach faces: SW

Best wind direction: In a SE it is cross-onshore with really good jumping. Most sailors go here in a NW were it can be cross-offshore to very offshore.

Worst wind direction: All others.

Tide: Low tide is best, high tide is too sheltered from the cliff and the waves get messy.

What’s on the bottom?: Sand.

Any hazards: Heavy shorebreak and very dumpy all the time. A few rocks down wind and one rock in the middle of the bay. If it blows a proper South Easter, it can be too windy to sail.

Other water users: Mainly windsurfers, surfers if the wind is light.

Suitability/levels: Advanced to expert.

Wipeout factor: Pretty high if you get caught in a dumping wave but you should make it back to a sandy beach unless you wipe out too far to the left. Then it’s rock time!

Cape Town (Table Bay)

Kitebeach

Epic… from sunset beach downwinders 🙂

Sunset Beach – (slightly gusty)

The wind fills in on the sea first at Sunset Beach. There are are three parking areas to choose from. Sunset offers perfect down-the-line wave riding, as long as you get some swell, and there are several peaks along the beach. It is always lighter on the inside and nuking on the outside. South Easterlies are cross offshore. Get here early to avoid the crowds.

Beach faces: West

Best wind direction: SE and the occasional NW (which is cross-on).

Worst wind direction: All others.

Tide: It is best when the tide is fully out because the wind will be less gusty. There is a small but vicious shorebreak at high tide.

What’s on the bottom?: Sand.

Any hazards: Apart from various aquatic life from the top of the food chain and powerful waves when the swell is big, nothing else!

Other water users: The odd kitesurfer and surfers.

Suitability/levels: When the swell is small Sunset is a good introduction to waves for the aspiring intermediate. Experts can take full advantage of the excellent down-the-line wave riding conditions.

Wipeout factor: High, if you do not hold onto your kit on a big day. You will be in for a fairly long swim in. On small days it is reasonably safe.

Big Bay (Bloubergstrand)

Can get crowded with our resident world champs.

Beach faces: W/SW

Best wind direction: SE is the best and is cross- shore.

Worst wind direction: All others.

Tide: It is not a very big bay (yes, an odd name), so low tide will not have so much room.

What’s on the bottom?: Sand.

Any hazards: The bay is small and gets extremely crowded with out of control windsurfers, surfers, body boarders and even the odd lost kitesurfer. These are the main hazards! There are also rocks that jut out to the right which are best avoided.

Other water users: Surfers, swimmers and body boarders.

Suitability/levels: Advanced intermediate to expert, but with the crowds Big Bay can be quite intimidating.

Wipeout factor: Quite high due to the many almost crashes and horrendous number of drop ins, from many that are unaware of wave sailing rights of way!

Melkbosstrand – Gusty on SE- great on NW

The South Easter will reach here later in the day. Melkboss is a massive stretch of beach hosting several different peaks along its length, so don’t just get caught sailing in front of the car park when there are less crowded waves to be had downwind. The water is colder here, and there is a long walk to the sea. It is also more exposed to swell than Sunset Beach.

Beach faces: W/SW

Best wind direction: SE

Worst wind direction: Any others.

Tide: Any state of tide is good, but there is a bigger tidal range than the other beaches described. If the tide is in – the walk is shorter!

What’s on the bottom?: Sand and the odd bit of kelp.

Any hazards: It always feels quite “sharky” at Melkboss. This is partly because the evening light gives the sea a ghostly appearance. There is also random bits of monster sized kelp floating at the back. The water is much colder at Melkboss, so you will prefer to have a long armed suit.

Other water users: Mainly windsurfers.

Suitability/levels: Advanced intermediate to expert, although getting out through the breakers and the crowd can take plenty of skill.

Wipeout factor: Quite high, the small waves double up and combine with a strong longshore drift to make sailing out tricky. If you do have to swim, you will tend to drift down the beach a long way before catching up to your kit with your little, tasty feet flapping away just beneath the surface.

Further North

Langebaan

Langebaan is a idyllic green water Lagoon that is perfect for blasting and freestyle. It is about an hour north from Table View. There are also plenty of restaurants overlooking the beach, allowing the luxury of a beer and pizza after sailing.

Beach faces: West

Best wind direction: SE, if it is not windy at the Cape Town beaches, then Langebaan may well get some wind due to thermal and funneling effects. It often gets windy a few days before the South Easter kicks in at Cape Town.

Worst wind direction: Anything not SE or NW.

Tide: Langebaan gets really good wind against tide conditions when on the tide is on the way in. This is the best time to sail.

What’s on the bottom?: Sand.

Any hazards: None really.

Other water users: Some kitesurfers.

Suitability/levels: Langebaan is a flat water lagoon and because of this is excellent for ambitious windsurfers of every level.

Wipeout factor: None really

Looking at the pier downwind at Yzerfontein

Yzerfontaine

When it is absolutely nuking in Cape Town (3m + weather), then this is the place to be. The waves will be a good size and clean.

Beach faces: SW

Best wind direction: SE

Worst wind direction: All others.

Tide: Any state of tide is good because it is a shallow, shelving beach.

What’s on the bottom?: Sand.

Any hazards: None other than the wave which can be quite chunky.

Other water users: None.

Suitability/levels: Advanced intermediate to expert.

Wipeout factor: If there are big waves, then definitely expect some good wipeouts.